7 Things You Should Thank Yourself For Before The End Of The Year

Before you punish or belittle yourself for all the things that you didn't accomplish this year, ask yourself one question: Did you try?

So what you didn’t get that promotion, or get approved for the loan that you applied for ? What matters is that you tried. Perhaps you didn’t reach your end result but you're  one step closer, and that is progress. Anything that didn’t work out in your favor this year wasn’t meant to, and that's okay! Pat yourself on the back for having the courage to try, to confront your boss for a promotion, or trying out a new business venture. Allow yourself to be proud of yourself for all the progress you've made. 

When I started this gratitude challenge, I had a conversation with friends discussing the things we love the most about ourselves. One of them told me that she liked the fact that I am strong woman. I laughed ! " No I’m not ! I’m not nearly as strong as you", I replied.  Truth is I’ve seen so much strength in people around me, that I honestly couldn’t consider myself  "strong". The things that I’ve seen people overcome, I often question whether I have that much strength in me. But then I remembered that we are all strong. We all go through tough times and survive them. Some of us even grow through them. No one knows how much they can handle until they are have no control over the hardships that they encounter. If you’ve gone through some tough times, and you’re still here, that’s strength. Strength grows in the moments you think you can't go on but you keep going anyways. So if you only give yourself credit for one thing, let it be for the strength that you mustered to keep going. 

Some of us accomplished some pretty awesome things this year ! From starting a family, to passing board exams, purchasing homes, starting  businesses, traveling to different countries, publishing books. Whatever you’ve achieved this year, big or small, you owe many thanks to yourself !

It takes courage to live through suffering. It takes courage to grieve the lost of someone you love. It takes courage to leave an abusive relationship. It takes courage to quit your job. It takes courage to pursue your dreams. It takes courage to set aside fear. Whatever it is that you went through this year that required courage couldn't be easy. Some of us buried loved ones, others lost people who meant the world to them. Many of us had to make tough decisions, that kept us up all night. No matter what is was, or no matter what it is that you're still going through, it is evident that pain is tough companion, and dealing with pain takes courage. 

So many of us go the extra mile for the ones we love, and even sacrifice part of ourselves for others. I have personally encountered so many people who have blessed my life by being kind, and I also know that I have always done my best to be kind to others. No act of kindness, however small it is is ever wasted. If no one else thanked you this year for showing kindness, be sure to thank yourself. The worlds needs so much more of people like you. 

The biggest risk, is not taking any risk.  Kudos to you, for taking that risk this year! I've seen first hand life changing decisions that people have taken on a leap. whether it was taking a job in another country, or trying something for the first time. If you allow yourself to take risks, you will surely win in life! Whether or not it works out, it is better to know that you gave it a try, than being paralyzed by fear. One of the risks that I took this year was launching this blog. I was nervous about whether my content would be good enough in a time where blogging has become so saturated. But I knew that I had nothing to lose by giving it a try. I knew that I would quickly become a public figure by exposing information about my private life on social media. I knew I would be loved by some and criticized by others, and I definitely knew that  reaching an audience could be challenging. My only regret today would've been not launching this blog based on other factors that have nothing to do with my passion for writing and my purpose for blogging.